The Best Korean Dramas of 2013

Annyeong! It has been a hot minute since I've posted last, but here I am sharing my year's Korean drama-watching work. This year there was a good assortment of dramas to suit viewers' varying taste buds. This year also featured some of the most hyped Kdramas ever (Gu Family Book and The Heirs). Even though I found some great dramas to watch in 2013, not every drama was watchable. So, look forward to my "The Worst Korean Dramas of 2013" list in a few days. But, let's get back to positivity and celebration for now. Here's to an even better year for dramas in 2014!

5. That Winter, the Wind Blows

Jo In Sung and Song Hye Kyo

That Winter, the Wind Blows was the first, what I consider, "blockbuster" drama of the year. It features Jo In Sung, Song Hye Kyo, Jung Eun Ji, and Kim Bum. The music was divine (download the OST here), the aesthetic was soft and breathtaking, and this drama, while not the best of the year, was never dull. Read my full review here.

4. Good Doctor

Joo Won and Moon Chae Won

Good Doctor fills the void of feel good medical drama better than any I've seen before. The chemistry between Joo Won and Moon Chae Won made the fact that Park Shi Won (Joo Won) was autistic seem like just another obstacle that any couple faces. I am pretty sure that I cried at least once during each of the 20 episodes of this sweet drama.

3. The Heirs

Lee Min Ho as Kim Tan and Park Shin Hye as Cha Eun Sung

When I first started watching The Heirs/ The Inheritors, I was in disbelief. I had a hard time accepting that Lee Min Ho was still playing a high school kid (he's 26 now!). I was also put off by the strange scenes that they filmed in California. I decided to let my skepticism go, though, and allow the story to wash over me. This drama is a blatant combination of all things that viewers want to see, rich kids, love triangles, birth secrets, Cinderella story, coming-of-age, I could go on for pages. What I think makes this drama great, though, is that the actors managed to shine through the achingly cliche plot lines and dialogue to show us genuine feeling and the pain that comes with transitioning from childhood to adulthood no matter how rich or poor you are. Also, the sheer volume of popular Korean actors is enough to make my list, The Heirs had Lee Min Ho, Park Shin Hye, Kim Woo Bin, Kang Min Hyuk, Krystal Jung, Choi Jin Hyuk, Lim Ju Eun, Kim Ji Won, and Kang Ha Neul... MIND BLOWN.

2. Heartless City

Jung Kyung Ho and Nam Gyu Ri

Heartless City/ Cruel City was the drama that I looked forward to watching the most every week while it aired. It was the most exciting and sexiest drama of the year, in my opinion. It wasn't, though, an epic romance drama. There was a strong connection between the two leads Jung Kyung Ho and Nam Gyu Ri, but it seemed more like a plot-driving relationship than an a heart-wrenching love like the one from my number 1 drama of the year. Read my full review of Heartless City here.

1. Secret

Hwang Jung Eum and Ji Sung

Ahhh yes, Secret Love, what year of drama isn't complete without a high-intensity melodrama? My year certainly wouldn't have felt complete without Secret. Hwang Jung Eum pulled off her best performance yet as the wronged Kang Yoo Jung who lost years of her life in prison, her son, and her bright-eyed optimism. Yet, she was able to love again and make the best decision for herself and her child. I just loved this drama and it's fast moving action and romance.

What were your favorites?

30 Day Kdrama Challenge: Day 23 Your Favorite Couple

Day 23: Your Favorite Couple

Well, back in February, I wrote a post listing my favorite couples (read it here). My FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE Korean drama couple is Shin Min Ah and Lee Sung Gi as Cha Dae Woong and Mi Ho in My Girlfriend is a Gumiho. Read the post I mentioned above for more of my favorite couples along with demonstrative YouTube videos. Watch these adorable Kdrama couples on DramaFever

The Best Korean Drama Bromances

The love story between a male and female lead in a Korean drama can cause overwhelming feels and emotional attachment, but what about the unwavering love between two male characters? Not necessarily in a gay way (though it sometimes might border on homosexual, and not that it's a bad thing, either), but a pure love that forms between our favorite beautiful Korean actors. Kdrama bromances aren't hard to find, but some stand out as being especially funny, sweet, long standing or passionate.

1st Bromance: Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin in School 2013

Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin

As two rough-and-tumble high school boys, Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin, blew me away. Their chemistry was on fire, and they were the only real romance in School 2013. Who didn't tear up when they decided to be friends again? What a beautiful bromance. Watch School 2013 free and subtitled on DramaFever

The Best Kdrama Couples

In honor of Valentine's day, since I have nothing better going on of course, I present you with my list of the best couples from the Korean dramas that I have watched. I am focusing on the main couples involving the lead characters for now, but I plan on making a list later of the best side-character couples because they can't be quite good as well (for example: Lee Jae Shin played by Lee Yoon Ji with Ein Shi Kyung played by Jo Jung Suk in The King 2 Hearts).

1. Mi Ho and Cha Dae Woong

Shin Min Ah and Lee Seung Gi are perfect together in My Girlfriend is a Gumiho. I have watched it 3 times, and I just bought the DVD set on Amazon. Needless to say, this is my all- time favorite drama. The video to left features my favorite scene from the show (ignore the subtitles unless you read whatever language that is) when Dae Woong gives Mi Ho a recharge by telling her that he really really really really really likes her. Tears well up in my eyes a bit just from watching that little clip. DramaFever.com.





2. Kim Na Na and Lee Yoon Seong

Out of all of the dramas that Lee Min Ho has starred in, I think his coupling with Park Min Young in City Hunter makes the most sense. They are a very attractive couple, and I don't think I would have liked the drama as much if it were two different people. Na Na and Yoon Seong hardly had a chance to love each other in a normal way, but the rare intimate moments that they shared were made sweet by the adorable actors filling those roles. Watch it on DramaFever.com.






3. Go Nam Soon and Park Heung Soo

Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin are the "it" couple in the Korean drama world right now, so I can't fail to include them in my list. Their touching friendship in  School 2013 fueled the main emotional vein of the drama. In the interview that I have included here they basically sum it up by stating that they had great acting chemistry together and that they have known each other since they were young. Their love story is beyond the typical cheesy romance because watching them as Nam Soon and Heung Soo is like experiencing the ups and downs of a real friendship. Watch it on DramaFever.com.




4. Choi Hee Jin and Kim Bong Do

I say "fighting!" to this couple because they are still dating in real life. Yoo In Na and Ji Hyun Woo are so genuine and adorable in this Queen In-Hyun's Man, that it's hard not to get sucked in and ignore the nonsensical time travel aspects of it. The video I have included has some cute moments with Lee Seung Gi's "Losing My Mind" playing in the background which reminds me of My Girlfriend is a Gumiho and makes me smile. Watch it on DramaFever.com.






5. Seo Eun Gi and Kang Ma Roo

I would like to categorize Moon Chae Won and Song Joong Ki in Innocent Man (Nice Guy) as the best "worst" couple. The two of them were a pair of fucked up kooks that put each other through hell, but I couldn't help rooting for them. Chae Won and Joong Ki look so good together even when they are beating the physical and mental shit out of each other and themselves that it makes the story more romantic than it actually should be. Watch Innocent Man DramaFever.com.






BONUS COUPLE: You + Lee Min Ho! Let's all take a moment (or twenty) and pretend that we are celebrating a romantic V-day in Seoul with Lee Min Ho, shall we?

Lee Min Ho in Faith

School 2013 Final Episode 16

Lee Jong Suk as Go Nam Soon

What makes this drama stand out is that it isn't much of an exaggeration from  the real lives of high schoolers. Even considering the constant dramatic events the characters were involved in, it's still believable because high school really is a constantly dramatic community. Whereas in adult life every day blurs together in sameness, most days in high school varied from one another. School 2013 features some of the same characters and themes that many face in their teenage years. There are the kind-hearted teachers, the boring teachers, the bullies, the goodies, the dumb kids, the super-smart kids, the beautiful people, and everyone in between. This drama also reveals the the elation, depression, love, and growth that make this part of life especially emotional.

Kim Woo Bin as Park Heung Soo and Lee Jong Suk as Go Nam Soon

Of course, the main romance of the show produced many more feels than any that I witnessed in high school. You all know that I'm talking about Go Nam Soon (Lee Jung Suk) and Park Heung Soo's (Kim Woo Bin) bromance. It started a few episodes into the drama and began as hatred with no explanations. As more information is brought to light, though, it is apparent that these two guys cared deeply about each other before their falling out. Since Nam Soon was partially responsible for injury Heung Soo leg which caused him to lose his chance at a successful soccer career, their friendship was severed for years. The animosity slowly subsided throughout the show with the help of teachers Kang Se Chan (Daniel Choi) and Jung In Jae (Jang Na Ra) as the guys sorted out their issues and made amends. Nam Soon and Heung Soo have the kind of loving friendship that everyone wants, it's a pure mutual connection between two people who experienced life together and care about each other. In this last episode at the very end, they looked at each other and asked what they will do in the future. Neither of them had a strong reply to the question, but it seems that they plan to look forward to it together.

Kwak Jung Wook as Oh Jung Ho

Another underlying plot line throughout the course of School 2013 was Oh Jung Ho's (Kwak Jung Wook) struggle. If you are one of the viewers who was annoyed by/ hated Jung Ho then just know that you and I will not agree on anything in life. Oh Jung Ho turned out to be my favorite character. He acted like a real high school boy would in many ways, he was cold, didn't want to reveal any emotions, did want to apologize or act thankful, and he struggled with life and relationships inside and out of school. His friends loved him fiercely despite his prickly nature, and even Nam Soo and Heung Soo whom he was constantly bickering with tried to help him remain in school. If the hard efforts of the teachers and his friends don't prove he is worthy of affection then I don't think anything will change the haters' minds. In the last episode he was beaten badly by his father, nearly expelled for accidentally hurting Ha Kyung's leg (on top of all the other trouble he caused), and decided not to complete school in the end. His harrowing transition from school bully to wounded young man was really apparent to me when he left Nam Soon's house and shed a tear as he made the decision to quit school in order to get a job to support his father. I'm not sure in the final moments of the episode if they were alluding to him showing up at the last minute or not, but I hope that he did. Teacher Jung worked so hard and gave so much love to Jung Ho that I cried when I thought he wasn't going to finish 2nd year.

Daniel Choi as Kang Se Chan and Jang Na Ra as Jung In Jae

I can't write about this drama without including a shout out to the teachers also. Jung In Jae and Kang Se Chan. They were played beautifully by the couple from Baby Faced Beauty. Jang Na Ra as Teacher Jung gave students and parents something to think about which is: what does an educator go through every day while trying to teach, watch over, and earn their living? Along with Daniel Choi as Kang Se Chan, they showed what the best of education can look like. Different teaching styles and ways of approaching conflict are important to attack each issue from all angles. I think I learned a lot from these teachers also while watching this drama. Caring about other people and doing the right thing may seem cheesy, but it will make you a better person regardless of wealth, power, or intellect.

Now, I cannot claim that my high school experience was as eventful as class 2's, but I think any one who went to high school can relate to certain experiences and feelings. After watching this show it made me miss the days of spending time with friends laughing in the lunchroom, making fun of the teachers, hanging out in front of lockers, and dreaming about getting out of that place and becoming adults. I don't really want to go through the whole experience again, but I will at least flip through my yearbooks now and reminisce about the good memories because those are the only ones that matter now that everything is said and done.

Watch School 2013 final episode 16 with English subtitles DramaFever.com